Camping near Liverpool – outdoor getaways you can reach within an hour and a half

Camping near Liverpool – outdoor getaways you can reach within an hour and a half

With summer 2018 bringing a run of sizzling sunny days which is hopefully set to continue, what better time to book a holiday outdoors?

We’ve rounded up some of the best camping and ‘glamping’ sites around an hour and a half from Liverpool or less, all with availability during August and September.

Words by Natasha Young

Stanley Villa Farm Fishing & Camping

Back Lane, Greenhalgh, PR4 3HN

One hour and 11-minute drive from Liverpool

Best for: Couples + families

What’s on site?

Forget rifling through pegs and poles or trying to squeeze that mammoth bundle of tent components back into a tiny bag. Lancashire’s Stanley Villa Farm Fishing & Camping cuts out canvas shelters without compromising the authentic camping experience.

The site is home to 24 same-sized ‘Cosy Camping Pods’, each equipped with coat hooks, battery powered lights and two single beds with mattresses, which can be moved to make a double or positioned in an ‘L’ shape to fit your own airbed in for children.

The pods are not connected with electricity but they are insulated to keep your visit comfortable whilst you embrace the simple life.

A two-in-one fire pit and barbecue comes with each pod so you can enjoy a flame-grilled feast outdoors, and further utensils, kitchen appliances, and toilet and shower facilities can be found in the nearby Lakeside Lodge along with power points and a common room.

Meanwhile Stanley Villa Farm’s well-stocked fly fishing lake is free to use for on-site campers who bring their own fishing equipment and have purchased a licence, or serves as a picturesque spot to stroll around and spot a range of wildlife.

And come rain or shine, the campsite is prepared to keep guests of all ages entertained with a selection of outdoor sports and games equipment and board games to play in the lodge.

“Time your visit right and you could be wowed by the bright lights of this year’s famous Blackpool Illuminations.”

What’s nearby?

Venture out of Stanley Villa Farm Fishing & Camping and you’re perfectly positioned to explore the Fylde coast, with the lively hub of seaside attractions that is Blackpool little more than a 15-minute drive away.

Time your visit right and you could be wowed by the bright lights of this year’s famous Blackpool Illuminations, which kicks off on 31 August with a star-filled switch-on featuring performers including Diversity and Ella Eyre. The spectacular light show then continues until 4 November.

But if you’re looking for a more low key trip than buzzing tourism hotspots like the Pleasure Beach and its white-knuckle rides can offer then there are other surrounding destinations to enhance your getaway.

Lytham St Annes, around an 18-minute drive from the campsite, offers a traditional seaside setting with its preserved Victorian pier and promenade gardens.

Meanwhile the site’s Greenhalgh surroundings are home to a host of restaurants and pubs, and rural Fylde offers unspoilt villages including Salwick, which is made more picturesque by barges passing through its canal.

Prices:

Stay in a pod for £59 per night on dates except Saturdays during August until 4 September, with August Saturdays priced at £65 per pod.

Sundays to Fridays during the rest of September are priced £49 per pod, per night; and Saturdays nights during September are £59 per pod, per night.

Pod prices are based on two adults sharing, with children £5 per child, per night and infants aged two and under going free. Dogs can stay for £5 per dog, per night.

Cheshire Farm Yurts

Newton Lane, Tattenhall, CH3 9NE

46-minute drive from Liverpool

Best for: Home comfort cravers

What’s on site?

Not entirely convinced that embracing life outdoors with a tent and basic essentials is for you? Well we’ve found the ideal solution as Cheshire Farm Yurts’ canvas shelters blend tent living with plenty of homely features.

Step through your country house-style wooden front door and enjoy the ability to stand up and walk around in the spacious accommodation, with features including a cosy double bed and pull out sofa beds, a log burner for colder days and bedside furniture and lamps. You’ll even have exclusive use of your own private toilet and shower – a camping rarity!

Fully equipped with electricity, these yurts will make you forget you’re outdoors as they also come with cooking facilities including a single hob and a microwave with grill. If you consider that a step too far when it comes to camping cheats though, there’s a barbecue to fire up outside.

What’s nearby?

There’s plenty to keep campers of all ages happy.

Families can chill out at neighbouring attraction, The Ice Cream Farm – a free-to-enter complex boasting play areas, retro games machines, an adventure golf course and, of course, an ice cream parlour scooping up more than 50 flavours. Charges ranging between £1 and £4.50 apply to some activities.

Both the campsite and The Ice Cream Farm are also close to Cheshire’s popular Sandstone Trail long distance walk– a 34-mile route stretching from Frodsham to Whitchurch in Shropshire taking in castles and distinctive architecture to caves and quarries along the way.

Meanwhile the village of Tattenhall offers its own pubs, shops and eateries, as well as Tattenhall Marina featuring the Boathouse Café and Bar; and the historic Chester city centre and fun-packed Chester Zoo are both around a 20-minute drive away.

Prices:

Yurts are available for weekly stays (Monday to Thursday), priced £420 in August and £360 in September; or weekend stays (Friday to Sunday), priced £245 in August and £225 in September. Shorter and longer stays can be accommodated.

Yurts sleep up to four people, and guests can bring additional camp beds and bedding to fit in another two.

56% of campers do it for fantastic family time

Box Tree Farm

They may look like simple camping pods from the outside, but step inside and Box Tree Farm’s range of cabins is well equipped with everything you need in a home away from home.

Think compact hotel room, only rather than heading out into winding corridors and a shiny foyer you’re sleeping inches away from the great outdoors.

As well as beds, features inside cabins include an electric heater, a 19-inch DVD/gaming monitor with scart and USB sockets and a table.

They also come with cooking facilities including a microwave, kettle and toaster, a twin electric hob and a fridge with an ice box.

Outside, you can take in the campsite’s beautiful rolling countryside surroundings by enjoying a barbecue and a group sit down at your picnic table and bench seating.

And if plenty of relaxation and fresh air is the aim of your visit, Box Tree Farm is filled with enough entertainment and amenities that you won’t even need to leave.

When the kids aren’t meeting the site’s resident Shetland ponies, Crystal and Bentley, they could be burning off some energy in the children’s play area.

Meanwhile footballs are on hand for guests of all ages to get involved in some team game action, and Box Tree Farm’s six-peg carp pond provides full and half-day course fishing sessions.

An on-site shop also stocks all kinds of treats and camping essentials to help you through your stay, not to mention farm-made ice cream!

What’s nearby?

Perfect for a city escape, Box Tree Farm is well positioned to access the country’s renowned countryside gems that are the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District.

Drive around 15 minutes to get to Kirkby Lonsdale – a picturesque market town which sits on the edge of both. There you’ll find boutique shops and artisans, as well as eateries such as the award-winning Crossing Point Café which serves up local produce.

If you’re there on a Thursday, the market takes place and has proven popular amongst visitors and locals thanks to its range of stalls.

Or you can swap the shops for a close up glimpse of some of the area’s striking features, such as the three-arched Devil’s Bridge – a scheduled ancient monument crossing the River Lune; and the stunning vantage point of Ruskin’s View, where you can see Lune Valley and Underley Hall.

Alternatively the English Heritage City of Lancaster, complete with its historic castle and museums, is around half an hour away from Box Tree Farm in the car.

Prices:

Camping cabins sleeping up to five adults are £160 per cabin, per night; and cabins sleeping up to six adults are priced at £180 per cabin, per night.

Cabins sleeping up to four adults and one child are priced £160 per cabin, per night.

As Box Tree Farm is a working farm with livestock, no dogs are allowed on site.

Bala Camping and Caravanning Club Site

No matter what type of camping experience you’re looking for, this well-equipped site has room for all kinds of outdoor accommodation, all positioned within a beautiful rural location.

Book in with your own caravan, motorhome, trailer tent or basic camping tent; or if you prefer your getaways to be as stress-free and effortless as possible, already prepared ‘Ready Camp’ tents provide more of a glamping option complete with beds and kitchen areas.

Meanwhile all campers can benefit from a host of facilities including toilets and showers, washing machines, Wi-Fi and ice pack freezing facilities.

Young visitors and four-legged friends will also be able to enjoy a run around without even venturing off the campsite, as both a children’s play area and a designated dog walk are at hand.

What’s nearby?

The campsite is just a nine-minute drive from the market town of Bala itself, set within North Wales’ stunning Snowdonia National Park.

As well as providing amenities to pick up the perfect picnic for a day out amongst the beautiful natural scenery, Bala is also brimming with history.

Log on to tourism website www.gobala.org to find the route for the Bala Town Trail, a self-guided tour lasting up to two hours exploring the town’s hidden gems and spots of significance, such as the White Lion Royal Hotel once visited by Queen Victoria, a former medieval back lane and buildings dating back to the 1600s.

Meanwhile Bala Lake – also a nine-minute drive from the campsite – is the largest natural lake in Wales and a prime location for fishing and watersports or simply taking in the mountain views. Kayaking, canoeing and windsurfing are among the activities which take place on the water if you fancy making a splash, and equipment hire and taster sessions are provided in the area.

Prices:

The online booking system provides specific prices for specific dates, but the Camping and Caravanning Club’s guide indicates that August’s high season prices range from £11.15 to £12.85 per adult club member per night, and September’s mid-season prices are from £9.20 to £10.60 per night.

A range of family deals charged per pitch, per night are also available, and club members and non-members are welcome with prices varying.